Toy aircraft device

ABSTRACT

A toy airplane is supported for rolling movement on its longitudinal axis by a rigid frame connected by bearings to the nose and tail of the airplane body. A flexible spring is mounted on the frame for normally engaging one of the wing tips to resist rolling of the airplane, and the frame is connected to a flexible control line used for centrifugally swinging the frame and the airplane in a generally circular path. When the centrifugal force on the control line and on the spring exceeds a predetermined value, an engagement portion of the spring is moved and releases the airplane for rolling movement which is caused by inclined ailerons on the airplane wings. The control line is attached to a rigid link member rotatively mounted on one end of an elongate handle.

United States Patent Fallo v [54] TOY AIRCRAFT DEVICE 72 Inventor: Joseph D. Fallo, 364 North Longview St., Dayton, Qhio 45432 [22] Filed: I Jan. 28, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 110,410

52 us. Cl ..46/77 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63II 27/04 [58] Field of Search ..46/77 [56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,849,833 9/1958 Mills .Q ..46/77 2,736,133 2/1956 Carpenter ..46/77 3,107,452 10/ 1963 Berger ....46/77 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant ExaminerA. Heinz [451 Aug. 8, 1972 Attorney-Jaeox & Meckstroth [57] ABSTRACT A toy airplane is supported for rolling movement on its longitudinal axis by a rigid frame connected by bearings to the nose and tail of the airplane body. A flexible spring is mounted on the frame for normally engaging one of the wing tips to resist rolling of the I airplane, and the frame is connected to a flexible control line used for centrifugally swinging the frame and the airplane in a generally circular path. When the centrifugal force on the control line and on the spring exceeds a predetermined value, an engagement portion of the spring is moved and releases the airplane for rolling movement which is caused by inclined ailerons on the airplane wings. The control line is attached to a rigid link member rotatively mounted on one end of an elongate handle.

8Claim9DrawingFigures PATENTED 81973 3.681.871 SHEET 10F 2 42 INVENTOR 35 JOSEPH D. FALLO -4 FIG-3 W rromvsr PATENTEDAus 8 I972 3.681.871 sum 2 0F 2 wvew ra k JOSE P H D. FAL LO A TTORNE Y TOY. AIRCRAFT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art of toy airplanes,'it is common to attach the FIG. 2 is a perspective'view of the device shown in FIG. 1 drawn on a'smaller scale and illustrating how the device is used.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view'of a portion of the airplane to a single flexible control line or to a pair of device shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating by broken lines lines and manually swing the airplane with the lines in a centrifugal .manner. For example, US. Pat. Nos. 1,880,501 and 2,947,108 each show a toy airplane attached or tethered to a single flexible line; and US. Pat. Nos. 2,303,965 and 3,383,791 each show a toy airplane attached to a pair of flexible control lines. In the latter patents, the pair of lines are manipulated or actuated to control the vertical elevation of the airplane as it is centrifugally swung in the circular path. As is apparent from reviewing these patents, the control lines or cords are commonly attached to the fuselage or body of the airplane and are usually directed inwardly to the body along one wing of the airplane.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a novel toy aircraft device which is adapted to be manually swung in a centrifugal manner with the aid of a single flexible control line or cord. In general, the device includes a toy airplane which is supported for rolling movement on the longitudinal axis of the airplane body, and the rolling of the airplane is controlled by changing the centrifugal force acting on the control line.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a toy airplane, molded from a rigid plastics materia1, is received within a generally U-shaped rigid frame having bearings which support the nose and tail of the airplane body for rolling movement on the longitudinal axis of the airplane body. The ailerons of the airplane are permanently tilted or inclined to cause rolling of the airplane as the airplane moves forwardly within the arr.

A flexible spring wire has one end portion secured to the supporting frame and an abutment portion engaging the adjacent airplane wing tip to resist rolling movement of the airplane. An intermediate portion of the wire spring is attached to one end of a flexible control line, or cord, and the inner end of the cord isattached to a rigid link member which is swivelly mounted on one end of an elongate rod-like handle.

As the toy airplane and the supporting frame are being centrifugally swung, an increase of the centrifugal force acting on the control line above a predetermined value, causes the spring to flex and the abutment portion thereof moves from engagement with the wing tip and releases the wing tip so that the airplane is free to roll on its longitudinal axis within the frame. By decreasing the centrifugal force on the control line, the rolling of the airplane body can be stopped, with the airplane either in a normal upright position or in an inverted position, as the abutment portion of the spring returns to engaging position with the wing tip.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a toy aircraft device constructed in accordance with this invention.

the wire spring control member in its retracted position.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view taken generally on the line4 --4of.F1G. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 4 and illustrating the toy airplane in an inverted attitude of flight.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view taken generally on the line6 --6of FIG. 4. i

. FIG. 7 is an elevational view taken generally on the line 7 -'7 of FIG. 5. 7

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate 180 and 360 rolling movement of the toy airplane shown in FIGS. 1 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a toy airplane 15 is constructed of wood or a light-weight, rigid, plastics material or the like and includes a generally flat fuselage or body 16, a pair of wings .18, a nose I7 and a tail 19. Each of the wings 18 supports an aileron 20. The left aileron 20 is permanently inclined downwardly and the right aileron 20 is inclined upwardly for producing normal counterclockwise barrel rolling (FIGS. 8 and 9) of the airplane as it is moved forwardly within the air. Wire struts 24 are secured to the body 16 forward of the wings l8 and support a pair of wheels 25. A pair of aligned pin-like shafts 28 project from the nose l7 and the tail 19 of the airplane body 16, and a propeller 30 is mounted for free spinning on the forward shaft 28.

A substantially rigid and generally U-shaped frame 35, preferably constructed of a transparent plastics material, includes a pair of aligned integral bearings 36 which receive the shafts 28 to support the airplane l5 for rolling movement relative to the frame 35 on'the longitudinal axis of the airplane body 16. A control member in the form of a generally U-shaped wire spring 38, has an end portion 39 which is adjustably secured to the frame 35 by a' friction clamping block 41. An opposite end portion or finger 42 of the spring 38, projects radially inwardly through a slot 43 within the frame 35 and forms an abutment or stop for the adjacent wing 18 of the airplane 15.

The spring 38 also includes an intermediate loop portion 44 to which is attached one end of a flexible control line 45 in the form of a nylon cord or the like. Preferably, the control line 45 is approximately 5 feet in length and has its opposite end attached by a wire connector 46 to one end of an elongate rigid link member 48. The opposite end of the link member 48 is rotatably connected to one end of an elongate rod-like handle member 50 by means of a swivel connector 52 shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the link member 48 is constructed of aluminum or the like, and the handle member 50 may be constructed from a wood dowel and has a length of approximately 3 feet.

Referring to FIG. 2, the toy airplane l5 and the supporting frame 35 are adapted to be swung centrifugally in a generally circular path with the aid of the handle member 50, the control line 45 and the connecting link member 48. The frame 35 is provided with an air foil in the form of an integral trim tab 54 which assists in stabilizing the frame 35 and the airplane 15 during forward movement thereof.

Referring to FIG. 3, when the airplane 15 and the frame 35 are being swung in a generally circular path, a slight tug on the control line 45 is effective to flex the wire spring 38 to a retracted position (shown by dotted lines in FIG. 3) so that the end portion or finger 42 is momentarily released from engagement with the adjacent wing 18. This allows the airplane 15 to roll in a counterclockwise direction, asindicatedby the arrow in FIG. 8, as a result of the forces produced by the inclined ailerons 20. If the mg on the control line 45 is only momentary,'the finger 42-will quickly return to its normal extended position shown in FIG. 3 and thereby again form a stop or abutment which is engaged by the opposite wing 18 so that as the flight of the airplane l5 continues, the airplane is in an invertedposition, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7. By again tugging on the control line 45, the spring finger 42 is again momentarily retracted from the contacting wing 18 to release the wing 18. After the moment of retraction, the finger 42 moves to a position to be engaged by one of the wings l8 and forms a stop therefor after the airplane has rolled back or returned to a normal upright position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. V

'If the airplane 15 and frame 35 are swung centrifugally at a sufficiently high speed, the centrifugal force within the control line 45 will be at a level which is effective to hold thespring finger 42 in a continuously retracted position, so thatthe airplane 15 as it is carried by the frame 35 continues to roll on its longitudinal axis.

It thus becomes apparent that by simply manipulating the handle 50, the roll of the airplane may be controlled to provide for selecting a half-roll, a full roll or a series of rolls.

From the drawings and the above description, it is apparent that a toy aircraft device constructed in accordance with the present invention, provides desirable features and advantages. For example, the toy aircraft device is not only simple in construction but is also simple in operation. As a primary feature, the device provides for swinging a toy airplane in a centrifugal manner with only a single line and for selectively controlling the attitude of the airplane while the airplane is being swung. That is, the rolling of the airplane 15 on its longitudinal axis is selectively controlled simply by varying or changing the tension in the control line 45 either by changing the forward speed of the airplane or by inducing momentary tugs in the control line.

Although the preferred embodiment of the toy aircraft device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

The invention having thus been described, the following is claimed:

1. A toy aircraft device comprising:

a toy airplane having a body with a longitudinal axis and extending wings mounted on said body;

means for supporting said airplane for rotational movement about said longitudinal axis; a control line for remotely manipulating the toy aircraft device; means on said airplane for causing rotational movement of said airplane about said lon- Y gitudinal axis in response to moving said airplane in a generally arcuate flight path; linking means connecting said control line to said support means whereby said airplane and support means are adapted to travel in said arcuate path by manipulating said control line and thereby generating a centrifugal force which is sensed by said linking means and said controlline;

said airplane including abutment means normally eng'aged by said linking means to prevent rotational movement of said airplane; v said linking means being automatically disengagea ble from said abutment means in response to a change in the centrifugal force which is applied to the linking means and control line while said airplane is moving in said arcuate path.

2. A toy aircraft device comprising a toy airplane including a body having a longitudinal axis and transversely extending wings mounted on said body, a frame receiving said airplane, means connecting said airplane to said frame and supporting said airplane for rolling movement about said longitudinal axis of said body whereby any portion of said wings describes a generally circular path relative to said longitudinal axis, said airplane including means for causing rolling movement thereof about said longitudinal axis in response to forward movement of said airplane within the air, a flexible control line, a control member mounted on said frame and connected to said control line, said control member including a portion extending into the circular path of said wings to restrain rolling movement of said airplane relative to said frame, and said portion of said control member being movable to a position out of the circular path of said wings for releasing said airplane for rolling movement in response to swinging said frame and said airplane with said control line and exceeding a predetennined force on said control line and on said control member.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said sup port means comprise a substantially rigid frame encompassing said airplane, and a set of aligned shaft members connecting said frame to said body to support said airplane for said rotational movement.

4. A device which is defined in claim 3 including an air foil on said frame to aid in controlling and stabilizing the path of flight of said frame and said airplane.

S. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said linking means comprise a formed spring wire having one leg secured to said frame and another leg engageable by a wing of the airplane.

6. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprise a generally U-shaped substantially rigid frame, and said means for causing rotational movement of said airplane include at least one aileron on one of said wings and fixed at an inclined angle with respect to said wing.

7. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said control member is effective to engage said wings on said airplane to provide for selectively flying said airplane either in a normal upright position or in an inverted 3 ,68 1,87 l 5 6 position, depending on the actuation of said control about its longitudinal axis, member with said control line. a cord attached to the resilient member and extend- 8.Atoy mprising: ing therefrom so that the cord may be used to aframell ing w pp dp swing the frame and thetoy airplane carried a y all'plane dlsposed between the two Opposed 5 thereby in agenerally annular path, the cord being parts of the frame, the toy airplane having a nose portion and a tail portion, the toy airplane also having laterally extending wing members, one of the wing members of the toy airplane having an aileron extending upwardly, an opposite wing member of the toy airplane having an aileron extending downwardly,

attached to the resilient member adjacent the abutment portion thereof so that sufficient tension upon the cord causes movement of the abutment portion of the resilient member,

the forces applied to the cord and to the resilient member determining the position of the abutment portion of the resilient member with respect to the means rotatably joining the nose portion and the tail portion of the toy airplane to said opposed parts of the frame for rotative movement of the toy airplane about its longitudinal axis,

a resilient member attached to the frame and having an abutment portion normally disposed in a position to be engaged by a wing of the toy airplane to prevent rotative movement of the toy airplane wings of the toy airplane, so that when tension forces upon the cord and the resilient member exceed a given value, the abutment portion of the resilient member is moved from a position in which there may be engagement thereof by a wing member of the toy airplane.

* l t l 

1. A toy aircraft device comprising: a toy airplane having a body with a longitudinal axis and extending wings mounted on said body; means for supporting said airplane for rotational movement about said longitudinal axis; a control line for remotely manipulating the toy aircraft device; means on said airplane for causing rotational movement of said airplane about said longitudinal axis in response to moving said airplane in a generally arcuate flight path; linking means connecting said control line to said support means whereby said airplane and support means are adapted to travel in said arcuate path by manipulating said control line and thereby generating a centrifugal force which is sensed by said linking means and said control line; said airplane including abutment means normally engaged by said linking means to prevent rotational movement of said airplane; said linking means being automatically disengageable from said abutment means in response to a change in the centrifugal force which is applied to the linking means and control line while said airplane is moving in said arcuate path.
 2. A toy aircraft device comprising a toy airplane inclUding a body having a longitudinal axis and transversely extending wings mounted on said body, a frame receiving said airplane, means connecting said airplane to said frame and supporting said airplane for rolling movement about said longitudinal axis of said body whereby any portion of said wings describes a generally circular path relative to said longitudinal axis, said airplane including means for causing rolling movement thereof about said longitudinal axis in response to forward movement of said airplane within the air, a flexible control line, a control member mounted on said frame and connected to said control line, said control member including a portion extending into the circular path of said wings to restrain rolling movement of said airplane relative to said frame, and said portion of said control member being movable to a position out of the circular path of said wings for releasing said airplane for rolling movement in response to swinging said frame and said airplane with said control line and exceeding a predetermined force on said control line and on said control member.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprise a substantially rigid frame encompassing said airplane, and a set of aligned shaft members connecting said frame to said body to support said airplane for said rotational movement.
 4. A device which is defined in claim 3 including an air foil on said frame to aid in controlling and stabilizing the path of flight of said frame and said airplane.
 5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said linking means comprise a formed spring wire having one leg secured to said frame and another leg engageable by a wing of the airplane.
 6. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprise a generally U-shaped substantially rigid frame, and said means for causing rotational movement of said airplane include at least one aileron on one of said wings and fixed at an inclined angle with respect to said wing.
 7. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said control member is effective to engage said wings on said airplane to provide for selectively flying said airplane either in a normal upright position or in an inverted position, depending on the actuation of said control member with said control line.
 8. A toy comprising: a frame having two opposed parts, a toy airplane disposed between the two opposed parts of the frame, the toy airplane having a nose portion and a tail portion, the toy airplane also having laterally extending wing members, one of the wing members of the toy airplane having an aileron extending upwardly, an opposite wing member of the toy airplane having an aileron extending downwardly, means rotatably joining the nose portion and the tail portion of the toy airplane to said opposed parts of the frame for rotative movement of the toy airplane about its longitudinal axis, a resilient member attached to the frame and having an abutment portion normally disposed in a position to be engaged by a wing of the toy airplane to prevent rotative movement of the toy airplane about its longitudinal axis, a cord attached to the resilient member and extending therefrom so that the cord may be used to swing the frame and the toy airplane carried thereby in a generally annular path, the cord being attached to the resilient member adjacent the abutment portion thereof so that sufficient tension upon the cord causes movement of the abutment portion of the resilient member, the forces applied to the cord and to the resilient member determining the position of the abutment portion of the resilient member with respect to the wings of the toy airplane, so that when tension forces upon the cord and the resilient member exceed a given value, the abutment portion of the resilient member is moved from a position in which there may be engagement thereof by a wing member of the toy airplane. 